Trial and Error
by Lunette Delacroix
Summary: When Lieutenant Hawkeye takes a bullet on a legal issue for her beloved General, she is pitted with a second chance at life when her younger sister tries to convince Roy to spill the beans... and to prove Riza's innocence. Royai and AlxOC
1. The Trial of Riza Hawkeye

**Yay for boredom during finals reviews! I'm a Royai fanatic, what can I say, except for the fact that I do not own the characters or the series. If I did, I wouldn't be typing up lame fanfictions. Anyways, I should introduce my OC, who is paired up with the younger Elric. Shaynai Hawkeye is Riza' younger sister by twelve years (yeah, I actually did the math). She, like Edward, became a State Alchemist at a young age and flew up the ranks. Shayani is all Riza has left, beside Roy and Hayate. Shaynai is worried sick about her sister in this one... Oh, and I type too fast for my own good. Beware of typos. Rate T for language.**

**SHABAM!! Chapter one begins now!!**

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Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye stood in perfect silence before the judge. General Hakuro was presiding over the evening's case - the hotly-discussed murder of Fuhrer President King Bradley. Watching from the courtroom floor was a worried Roy Mustang, young Alphonse Elric, scared Winry Rockbell, and an oddly-calm Shaynai Hawkeye, who had their dog, Black Hayate, on her lap.

Typically, Shaynai would've presided over such a case, seeing as how the eighteen-year-old General was renowned and proven for her fairness and intelligence, despite her young age. Unfortunately, because she was, in fact, the younger sister of the defendant, she had no say in the matter.

"First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye," General Hakuro bellowed from his podium, "You have been charged with high treason, murder, arson, conspiracy, and... suspected fraternization?" He shook the last charge off and dismissed it as an error on Sheska's part. He continued unfazed, "You have been stripped of your ranking amonst military officers. How do you plea?"

The blonde woman hesitated. She glanced at her friends behind her, her eyes locking with her commanding officer and her sister. She quietly mouthed the words "I'm Sorry". She faced the general, and with clenched fists adn a drop of nervous sweat, announced in a clear voice.

"Guilty."

The courtroom was suddenly dead silent. Nobody had expected that. She said again, "Guilty on all charges, save for fraternization." Roy's good eye widened, "She didn't..."

Hakuro gathered himself. He - as well as the rest of the courtroom - hadn't expected Lt. Hawkeye, of all people, to admit to such charges. In turn, the defendant shut her eyes and inhaled deeply, preparing for the worst possible sentence...

"Wait!" A voice, clear as crystal, shouted. Riza turned adn all eyes fell on the youngest general. Shaynai adjusted her glasses. The Sakura Alchemist set the dog on her colleague's lap. She approached the bench, "While the defendant did admit to guilt, I can prove that the assassination of King Bradley is a positive event to Amestrian history."

Hakuro scowled, "Continue."

"I would ask for a secondary hearing, so I may present the evidence. I will also be forced to reveal secret information from previous cases... namely from the murder of Brigadier General Maes Hughes."

Hakuro raised his eyebrows. He glanced at the other generals as they conversed under their breaths. After what seemed like a long while, he stood, "Proposal accepted. General Hawkeye, you have been granted seven days to prepare your presentation to prove your sister's worth in a private hearing, an-"

"Please, make it a public hearing," Roy said sternly, speaking for the first time since his subordinate's arrest. Shaynai nodded in agreement.

"The people need to hear the evidence..." The younger of the Hawkeyes said, "They deserve to know the truth, and that they can trust their government - and their alchemists - to protect them."

A man on the onlooking balcony - recognized as Sergent Kain Fuery - stood and called out, "I second that notion!:

Lieutenant Breda followed suit, "So do I, sir!"

Vato Falman, a Warrant Officer, was next, "And I!"

"And I!" A voice from the aisle called. Lt. Jean Havoc wheeled himself beside Shayani. This was the first time anyone had heard from him since he was discharged several years ago from an incident regarding the homunculus Lust.

"I agree," Alphonse Elric stood now, clenching Shaynai's hand. She blinked in surprise, glanced at the boy - who was once her lover - and then faced her not-exactly-favorite General and cleared her throat.

"Please sir," Shaynai pleaded, "The people must know."

The aging general looked about the room and gave a heavy sigh. "Alright. This will be a public hearing. The defendant will bu under house arrest with guarded escort. Court is adjourned."

With a slam of the gavel, the room emptied quickly. Riza looked back on who was left: Alphonse, Shaynai, Winry, Fuery, Falman, Breda, Havoc and Mustang. She had a faint smile on her face as Hayate ran to her to comfort and greet her.

"Step one's complete," Shayani muttered under her breath, approaching her sister, "I just need Fuery's help with developing the footage and-"

"Why..." Roy said in a quieter voice than anyone was used to hearing, He wasn't asking anything of Shaynai. He was focused on his lieutenant, "Why did you do that? Blaming yourself for a crime I commited... you're better than-"

"Because," Riza replied firmly, "If you ahd taken responsibility, you would never become Fuhrer."

The Flame Alchemist was taken aback. "Are you serious?! Idiot, why would you do such a thing?"

Riza looked at the others in the group with a small nod. Shaynai picked up on this signal, "Let's go!" The girl instructed, "We need to file everything. Hakuro will be on my case until it's done. Sgt. Fuery, Lt. Havoc, go develop the photos..." She barked orders all the way out as Alphosne ran up behind the young general and took her hand once again. Everyone filed out until the only ones left were Roy, Riza, and Hayate.

Riza collected her files, placing them neatly in her briefcase, "Do you know why I took the blame?" She seemed to get more and more frustrated with the situation, "Why I risked my life for several years to save your ass? Did you really believe that I did it because I was your subordinate - or, as Pride once called me - your _dog_?"

Roy was speechless, "L...lieutenant..."

"I'm not a lieutenant," Riza snapped coldly, "i'm a criminal. A criminal who..."

She was cut off as General Hakuro entered to conversation, "Ms. Hawkeye, you will be taken home by military escort now. General Mustang, you may accompany her." He nodded adn left as Roy saluted.

It was to be a long and dreary car ride home.


	2. The Calm Before the Storm

**Once again, I do not own FMA.**

**By thw ay, I have been reading other RoyxRiza fanfictions, and I noticed a similar element in many of them: The issue with Riza constantly calling Roy "sir". Well, I'm turning the tables on that. Mauahahahahahaha! Enjoy!!**

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Riza was usually quiet when she was in a car, typically when she was driving the colonel around town

Riza was usually quiet when she was in a car, typically when she was driving the colonel around town. This time was no exception. The real difference was the type of silence. It would normally be a too-tired-to-talk sort of silence, or a lack-of-subject-matter kind. But it wasn't either of those today. It was a dark, heavy, awkward silence that loomed over her, the colonel, and the two guards escorting her home. She simply kept her hands in her lap, watching as the city passed by her window. Roy could tell she was scared and concerned, and he also knew that she would never admit it.

It wasn't because her body had paled. Not just because her knuckles were ghost-white and nearly every breath she took was as heavy and dreadful as a sigh. It was the look in her eyes. He could see them in the reflection in the window. Her eyes weren't the crystal-clear embers he knew too well. They were foreign clouds, like mud, like dirt.

"Riza," Roy asked, calling her by her first name in God-knows-how-long, "Is… well, everything will be alright." He tried to reassure her. She deeply inhaled another sigh-like breath. She didn't say anything, or move much at all. She just shut her eyes in an effort to hold back tears.

Roy unlocked Riza's apartment door for her as the guards took their places on either side of it in the hallway. He kicked it open a bit. Riza put her palm on the door to hold it open for her.

"Thank you, sir," Riza said quietly as her commanding officer put the briefcase on the kitchen table, "I really do appreciate your help."

"You still haven't answered my question," he replied, turning to her, "Why did you take the blame for me? I was the one who killed the presi – Pride. You didn't, but you took the bullet for me any…" He stopped speaking altogether. Her voice was ringing in his head.

"I would like you to watch my back. Do you understand?" he asked her, when she had first enlisted in the military, "Being entrusted with my back means that you may shoot me in the back at any time. If I ever stray from the correct path, shoot me with your own hands. You have that right. Do you accept?"

"I do, sir," his right-hand woman shut her eyes as she solemnly vowed, "I will follow you into hell if you ask me." She'd renewed this promise time and time again, from the Ishbalan Civil War, to his best friend's death, to the incident regarding Lust in Laboratory 3. How could he have possibly forgotten?

"Sir," Riza spoke in realtime as her colonel was lost in thought, "I'm continuing what I have promised to do for you… I told you that I would do anything to help you achieve your goal, and you can't achieve it by sitting in prison."

Roy managed a small smile, "So that's where your sister gets it from. I remember hearing her tell that to Alphonse, back in the day."

"I suppose she would've. After all, you need to stay close to your siblings, particularly when there are only two of you left. The Elric brothers knew that all too well."

"I don't keep in contact much with my sisters anymore… not since Ishbal."

It was suddenly quiet again. Riza glanced at the clock, "It's getting late. You should start heading home."

"I probably sure, make sure Scar's not waiting for me there." He turned to leave, "Goodnight, Lieutenant."

"Riza," she turned sharply, seeing him out. She gave him a small smile, "Call me Riza now, sir."


End file.
